Evgeni Malkin and Kyle Dubas sat down and spoke about his future with the team coming out of the Olympic break, a meeting that had been planned since the summer.

In that meeting, Malkin recalled on Monday, Dubas asked him if he wanted to play next season. Malkin said he did -- maybe even two years.

Malkin has long made clear his intentions to finish his career in Pittsburgh. That hasn't changed. And after that meeting, Malkin came off pretty satisfied with where things currently stand in his contract negotiations.

"(Dubas) told me we wait for the summer," Malkin said after the Penguins' 7-2 win over the Avalanche. "I'm OK to that. We have like, 15 games left, and I hope playoffs. I want to just play. He asked me if I want to play next year, I say yes, then he says, 'Don't worry, we'll talk after the season.' You know, I'm OK. I mean, I feel great. I want to play next year too, maybe two years, who knows. It's just business."

Waiting until this summer is reasonable. Using the Olympic break as an important benchmark for discussions was planned since last summer. Coming out of the Olympic break was also the time leading up to the trade deadline, and so Dubas' focus was understandably aimed toward that. With there only being about a month left in the regular season and the Penguins in a playoff push, it's fine to just wait -- that's what Malkin wants too, noting he wants "to just play."

Would it make everyone feel better if the deal got done quickly? Sure. But something to remember, too, is that a contract with a player of Malkin's age and status isn't as simple as agreeing on a length and dollar figure and putting the pen in his hand.

For starters: Is it a one-year deal? Because at Malkin's age, if he signs a one-year deal, he'd be one of the few non-entry-level players eligible to have performance bonuses be part of the structure. Does he want that? Does the team want that? How much of the contract should be structured that way? If it's a contract more than a year, that puts it at risk of being a 35+ contract depending on how it is built, which invites the risk of the full dead cap if he retires before it ends. If the Penguins are willing to give Malkin a multi-year deal, does Malkin's side want it front-loaded in salary, or to be structured in a way that has signing bonuses beyond the first year -- two things that are player-friendly? Because either of those things would make his contract a 35+, and thus a lot of risk to take on. How much trade protection, if any, does he get? 

There are a lot of details to iron out. Malkin and the Penguins have a playoff run to worry about, first.